Clear divide in ‘good health’ years

Men are likely to live nearly 18 years longer in good health in a Berkshire town than if they live in an inner east London borough, according to figures.

There is also a clear North-South divide in how long people are expected to live in good health, while males spend a higher proportion (80%) of their lives in good health than females (77%), according to t he Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Their figures show that men in Wokingham could expect to live 17.8 years longer in good health than males in the London borough of Tower Hamlets (71.4 years compared with 53.6 years).

Females in the North East had a lower healthy life expectancy than males in any other part of the country, while females in Rutland in the East Midlands could expect to live 15.8 years longer in good health than those in the east London borough of Barking and Dagenham (71.3 years compared with 55.5 years).

The ONS found a 16-year gap in people living in good health between areas in London just 15 miles apart .

The largest difference in healthy life expectancy between the sexes was in Camden, where females could expect to live 6.7 years longer in good health than males.

The ONS said the figures provide a “snapshot” of the heath status of people in England from 2011 to 2013 based on the question of whether their health was very good, good, fair, bad or very bad.